Christopher Hitchens has always been a puzzle and delight to me. He brings equal passion to being appalled by Bill Clinton and Mother Teresa, an odd coupling, and is always eloquent and funny, even when dead wrong. A legendary drinker and smoker, he has always struck me as a man whose use of nicotine and alcohol, the traditional lubricants (and devils) of literary genius, was integral to the productive, free-wheeling state of mind he must maintain. Alcohol lowers assorted kinds of barriers, while nicotine sharpens certain faculties. Both substances can be addictive and harmful, but some believe them almost necessary to the occupation. Which is not to say that observant Mormons can't be literary geniuses. Not everyone needs to drink and smoke to be a great wit. However there is a category of human beings who are funnier, more free-wheeling and in some ways faster, with a drink and a smoke, or (depending on the setting) chaw, dip, or a little snuff up the nose. These days there is even...(Read Full Post)